BluePearl Pet Hospital
Skokie, IL
Emergency Medicine

Emergency
Emergency:
Mon-Sun: 10 am-10 pm
Please call ahead before visiting

Pet emergency medicine by BluePearl.

Pet emergencies can be scary – we’re here to help you handle them.

We understand that seeing your pet sick, hurt or in distress can be stressful – especially if you don’t know what’s wrong. Fortunately, our experienced ER clinicians are prepared to take action and help.

A vet specialist holds a small grey puppy wearing a cone on an exam table.

Common pet emergencies.

A BluePearl anesthesiology and pain management vet prepares to fix an anesthetic facemask on a yellow lab while a vet tech helps hold the dog on the exam table.

Acting quickly in an emergency may save your pet’s life.

If your pet is experiencing an emergency, you’ll have an entire veterinary team helping them so you can get back to what matters most – spending precious moments together.

  • Accidents, injuries and trauma (hit-by-car, animal attacks, etc.)
  • Bleeding 
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation volvulus, or GDV)
  • Collapse or unresponsiveness
  • Complications from chronic diseases 
  • Difficulty breathing 
  • Straining to urinate
  • Ingestion of medications, poisons or objects 
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting and diarrhea

Our emergency team.

Experience makes all the difference. 

Our emergency team is made up of veterinarians, vet technicians and assistants, and support staff with rigorous training and experience in specialty medicine. The team works hand in hand to provide the comprehensive, compassionate care your pet needs and deserves. Because we’re a multidisciplinary hospital, the team can consult the expertise of other specialty departments, too.

Jonathan Durmin

DVM
On the job

Dr. Durmin is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. He finds wound repair, toxicology and treating gastrointestinal disorders especially rewarding.

Education
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
  • Bachelor of Arts, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Off duty

When not at the hospital, Dr. Durmin enjoys weight training, hiking, cross-country skiing, trying new recipes and comics art. He and his wife are kept busy with the antics of their three fluffy cats.

Breanna Erwin-Cohen

DVM
On the job

Dr. Breanna Erwin-Cohen finds kidney disease, toxicities and foreign body ingestions the most gratifying to treat.

Education
  • Internship, Oncology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Chicago, IL
  • Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Chicago, IL
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
  • Bachelor of Arts, Zoology, Miami University, Oxford, OH
Off duty

Dr. Erwin-Cohen has a husband, two sons and a golden retriever named Martin. They love to hike, go to the zoo and do tons of reading.

William Fischbach

MS, DVM
On the job

Dr. William Fischbach enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine and has special interests in emergency surgery and trauma.

Education
  • Internship, Sonora Veterinary Specialists, Phoenix, AZ
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
  • Master of Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus
Off duty

Dr. Fischbach enjoys golf, traveling and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Rachel Katz

VMD
On the job

Dr. Rachel Katz is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She is particularly interested in treating toxin exposure, endocrine emergencies and feline emergencies.

Education
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
  • Bachelor of Science, Psychology, Anthropology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Off duty

Appropriately enough, Dr. Katz has three cats: Wash, Mal and Tchoupitoulas. Her hobbies include running, reading and Netflix marathons.

Jordan Yesesky

DVM
On the job

Dr. Jordan Yesesky is particularly interested in surgery and emergency stabilization.

Education
  • Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Michigan
  • Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Michigan
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Findlay, Ohio
Off duty

Dr. Yesesky and his lab mix, Fitz, can often be found at the park playing with a tennis ball or walking around the city exploring. Kipper Noodleman Snugglesworth, III is the cat in the family. Dr. Yesesky, Fitz and Kip like to curl up on the couch reading a book or watching cooking shows.

What to expect.

We know an unexpected trip to the emergency pet hospital can be stressful, and we want you to be prepared so you have one less thing to worry about. Our entire BluePearl team will be with you every step of the way.

Before your visit

  • If possible, call us before arriving so we can discuss your pet’s condition, help you with directions and prepare our team.
  • Collect your pet’s medical records, current medication or any historical information.
  • If your pet has eaten something potentially toxic, bring the substance with you if it’s safe to do so.

During your visit

  • When you arrive, let us know if you need help bringing your pet in from the car, and we’ll be ready to assist you.
  • Our team will perform an initial triage exam on your pet to assess their condition.
  • To stabilize your pet, we may need to administer IV fluids, pain medications, oxygen therapy and sometimes blood or plasma transfusions.
  • Before you leave, you’ll receive discharge instructions and a list of any recommended medications.

After your visit

  • We’ll let your family veterinarian know about your pet’s condition and the treatment they receive at BluePearl. This communication is key in the ongoing management of your pet’s care.
  • You know your pet better than anyone, and you play a crucial role in any follow-up treatment necessary. If you have any concerns about providing care at home (such as giving medication or monitoring your pet’s symptoms), let us know – we’re here for you.